Sealing Glass for EZ Clean Maintenance

I have a window cleaning route of about 200 commercial storefronts.  They are cleaned weekly, twice a month, monthly, every other month, and quarterly.  I have marketed glass sealant application to certain accounts with good success.  That being how easy it made their routine cleaning of small mirrors. Like at a salon.  I have about fifteen of these on my route.  So this IS one of the benefits of applying a glass sealant.  It makes it rather difficult for certain things to adsorb onto the glass surface.  That is adsorb with a D not a B.  This is the Wikipedias definition of the word,

Adsorption is the adhesion of atoms, ions, or molecules from a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid to a surface.^[1] This process creates a film of the adsorbate on the surface of the adsorbent. This process differs from absorption, in which a fluid (the absorbate) is dissolved by or permeates a liquid or solid (the absorbent), respectively.^[2] Adsorption is a surface-based process while absorption involves the whole volume of the material. The term sorption encompasses both processes, while desorption is the reverse of it. Adsorption is a surface phenomenon.

I will not necessarily apply a sealant to the inside of windows because it makes it very easy to see any film that develops on the inside.  Such as smoke, or fryolater oil, or car exhaust.  This effect becomes much more pronounced as the weather becomes colder.  Such that there is a temperature differential between the outside air and the inside.

Another concern when applying a sealant to mirrors is they must be cleaned with pure water after.  Such as with a microfiber cloth.  If any type of detergent based cleaner such as Windex is used it will streak;...badly.

For the EZ clean effect I might offer to apply the sealant to the outside of windows.  There are two concerns here.  One is in the heat of the summer.  Then the outside is warmer than the inside.  And I have had difficulty with that filming effect I just spoke of.  Mirrors do not experience this because they are always at the same temperature on both surfaces, front and back.  You might test your sealant on a large spot in the middle of a window during the hottest month of the year with the AC blasting inside.  If the EZ clean effect IS the reason you are applying the sealant, you will want one that is water based such that it can be applied with little to no extra time.  This way too if it wears off in one to three months you can just up your window cleaning/maintenance cost say 20% and make more money.  Now the application of the sealant becomes an integral part of your cleaning maintenance.  And the employees MUST use microfiber towels to take off fingerprints in between your visits.

Another application of such an EZ Clean sealant/coating is Water Fed Pole (WFP) work.  My Soap and Seal product is more of a Contact Angle adjustment for window glass.  It is hydrophobic but not as much as Rain X or the Invisible Shield, or Aquapel, etc.  The beauty of this is water tends more to "sheet off" the glass rather than "bead up".  This means there will be less water drops on the glass to dry in the hot sun.  So if there happens to be a certain amount of silica in the water that doesn't show on a TDS meter it will not be left behind.  This problem is greatly reduced.  The SS product is also water based.  So you can apply it to the glass with an applicator then rinse it off immediately after.  I will be doing some videos of this technique.  My idea is to show the results we can get from a surface that has been "modified" by a sealant.  Which make WFP work much easier and quicker.  Cuz you see.  The so called hydrophylic glass that guys say is so wonderful for WFP work is really not truly hydrophylic.  It is indeed hydrophobic. But just enough to change the rinse properties of window glass.

The PDR on the new Soap and Seal water based glass coating will be out in July.  Check out the first video I made of this product.  

Written by Henry Grover Jr.

My newsletter The Product Development Review is available for 35 dollars a month.  It is published electronically on a monthly basis.  Just send me an email if you are interested. henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Making Soap and Seal

This is a very simple product to make.  To begin I measure out the water by putting 95 tablespoons in a bowl.  Then I put four tablespoons of the silane.  This is the brown bottle with the blue strip in the video.  Next I add a single tablespoon of Dawn.  I am supposing you could add any window cleaning soap/product.  Then I put the mix in a 16 ounce plastic bottle using a funnel.  So it is essentially 95% water, 4% silane, and 1% Dawn.  Very simple.

To apply just wet a dry applicator with Soap and Seal.  Apply to a dry window.  Then squeegee it off.  It is possible to rinse it off too using a water fed pole.  The new surface you create will be hydrophobic.  But not as hydrophobic as Rain X or Aquapel.  It is actually possible to coat treated glass with pure water.  I used the window of my car to show this in the video.  I sprayed the windshield with a garden hose using the soaker setting.  After applying Soap and Seal to a circular area on the windshield.  The water covered every square inch of the glass.  But.  When I broke the surface tension of the water that covered the area I had treated with Soap and Seal using my finger;...the water instantly broke away sheeting out to the edge of the circle.  

I don't like the terms hydrophylic and hydrophobic.  Rather I use the scientific term contact angle. Superhydrophobic is around a 150 degree CA.  Superhydrophylic is down to a 30 degree CA.  If my memory holds.  What WFP guys want is a sealant that is actually right in the middle.  Not one or the other.  So that the rinse water will easily cover the glass but then "sheet off" instead of forming hundreds of very small beads/drops.  This would help in preventing the deposit of silica water spots. Since we get spots from drops.

Written By Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Making SKRUB;...a video presentation

A little crude as I am learning a new video editing program.  A cheap one that I downloaded free. Can't get any more cheap then that.  Movie Maker from Microsoft.  Cuz Microsoft took over my computor and "updated" it to Windows 10 when I was VERY content with Windows 7.  Immediately after my old Pinnacle 12 editing program wouldn't work.  Not compatible with my new tracking OS. Just had to vent.

Hoping you like my little movie.  It does demonstrate how EZ it is to mix up the SKRUB.  This is a great product for removing light stains from glass by hand.  Can be cut with pure water to your liking too.  At the end of the movie I demonstrate how you can stand up a pen in a cup of SKRUB.  I havn't found a commercial product yet that I could do this with.  They typically use only a very small amount of superabrasive powder.  No matter what it happens to be.  SKRUB is also great for removing greasy fingerprints from restaurant windows. Just add a table spoon of it to a couple gallons of cleaning solution.  Use any soap or chem you want.  A friend discovered he could make up a solution of it in a Gatorade bottle with the pop up cap.  Squirt it on the applicator only when needed.  This way it doesn't cause your entire cleaning solution to turn a dirty white.  And the SKRUB goes a lot further.

What I find personally fascinating is how the powder turns a dark brown when it comes into contact with a water miscible fluid.  This is because the individual microscopic particles have been treated with a proprietary chemical.  Or they have been functionalized.  The particle zoo is quite diversified. 

I would like to take this opportunity to once more warn the manufacturers among us not to waste their time with these "transformer" products I am developing.  They will be gold to us Window Cleaners;...but will be quite impractical to copy and market.  The ingredients cost, and shelf life actually precludes anyone from bringing them to the market.  Even a niche market.

Oh yeah.  If you would like a copy of my newsletter the Glass Smart Product Development Review that gives the sources for all of the ingredients and more just send me an email.  The two page newsletter is 35 bux, sent by email, and billed by Pay Pal. These products along with the knowledge you will find on this blog will give you the edge over other companies.

Be;...

Written and produced by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Soap n Seal Glass Cleaner New Product

This is a transformer product.  It is unlike any other glass cleaner in that it cleans and seals windows with a hydrophobic organosilane.  When applied even in the pouring rain it becomes instantly effective.  So when you soap a window with your applicator the OS reacts with the free oxygens of the glass leaving the organic, chain part of the molecule hanging off. This is the hydrophobic end that pushes water away creating a water shield.

You can use Glass Gleam, Dawn, Joy, or most any other synthetic detergent or commercial glass cleaner.  Then add just a very little bit of the OS to your bucket.  Now you are ready. You have a water based cleaner/sealer.  So you can soap and seal at the same time.  No extra time needed.
Transformer products are not commercial products.  You buy the ingredients yourself and put them together.  So your formula is your formula.  No one else has to know what it is. This gives you the edge.
I do not sell any of the ingredients.  You can buy the ingredients yourself directly from the ingredient manufacturers/sales companies.  You might even create a formula or a product that I haven't yet come up with.

All I sell is a newsletter called the "Glass Smart Product Development Review".  Each issue is 35 dollars and is a complete turnkey.  It contains all the information you need to create the product.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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The Hydrophobics Industry

The Window Cleaning Industry has been around for many years.  It is a true profession.  And yet so many people still think the answer lies in a bottle of Windex.  Well so many times this kind of ignorance has earned me lots of money.  So it really doesn't bother me much.  
Interestingly enough there is another industry closely related to Window Cleaning that even less people are aware of.  Even Window Cleaners don't know about it.  This is the Hydrophobics Industry.   That is the technology of chemically sealing the surface of window glass so that it becomes hydrophobic or water hating.  This industry is really quite large.
There are multimillion dollar companies like PPG that have developed products like Aquapel aimed at the auto world.

http://www.aquapel.com/What-is-Aquapel.php
http://www.enduroshieldusa.com/
http://www.dfisolutions.com/products/diamon-fusion/
http://www.hydroshield.com/
http://www.inovexcoatings.com/products/glass-hydrophobic/
https://www.rainx.com/product/glass-water-repellents-cleaners/rainx-original-glass-treatment/#.VzUYIoQrKXo

Others too like Repcon, Rain-X, and the Invisible Shield.  Then we have products like Enduroshield, Diamon Fusion, and Hydroshield that have been aimed at the granite, porcelain and architectural glass world.  Years ago we had two products developed by DuPont down in Wilmington Delaware.  One of them based on a PTFE (teflon) chemistry was discontinued. The other one known simply as their TLF 8291 was marketed to the mirror manufacturers.  Here it was called Mar Guard.  But it too has been discontinued.  There are other companies that have specialized in silicon (the element not the molecule) chemistry.  These have developed both hydrophobic and hydrophylic sealants for glass.  I think by now you get the idea. That there has been a ton of money devoted to developing this type of product.  There has also been a ton of money spent to have one of these applied to buildings.  Even and especially brand new buildings.  How much money?  Just do the math.  At four bux a square foot multiply by the number of square feet. A large office building for example might have five hundred windows.  At 30 square feet per window this comes to 60,000 bux.   
What amazes me is some of these buildings are brand new. That means the sealant is being applied to new glass that hasn't even been stained yet.  How do you sell that?  My guess is a lot of hype.  We know that is is tough enough to sell a stain removal job.  And we really don't want it.  We just want to keep the window cleaning contract.  Now sealing glass is not a bad thing.  It absolutely will help to prevent weathering of the glass over the years.  And make it much easier to remove any stains that might develop.  Especially if the window glass is flush with the exterior facade and there are bricks or concrete directly above every window.  Or if you are doing a job that is almost or right on the ocean.  What coastal window cleaning company isn't painfully aware of the problem of sea salt?  Sprinklers systems too must be positioned right next to windows. Especially if they carry very hard ground water.  So yeah. There are situations where one can most definitely predict that brand new buildings will be stained.  Sometimes a brand new building will start developing stains before it is more than a few months old.  What would help us sell a sealant would be a quick demo.  Just look at a new building with this in mind.  Look for the sprinklers or the design of the windows and concrete, brick, or stucco.  Then clean a window, fog it to show the newly forming spots.  Which will become unsightly braille over time. Then make your pitch.  At this point it would be rather easy to remove these deposits and seal the glass.  Pricing correctly is very important so you can make a profit.  I will save this for another post.  However the easy answer to that question is just to actually do one entire window for a demo, add up your times, add in the cost of your products, then multiply by what you will need to make per man hour.  Always add around 20 percent to the final quote just to be safe.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Steel Wool Video

Check out this video on how steel wool is manufactured.  You will find it totally fascinating. 

Henry Grover Jr.

Concrete Sealers

I remember twenty years ago consulting on the Chiquita Banana high rise building in Cincinnati Ohio.  All of the windows were covered with hard water spots. Which were from the concrete.  You see acid rain soaks into concrete as if it were a sponge.  All concrete and brick has pores.  Brick, concrete, and lime stone are alkaline.  So acid rain will react with these materials literally breaking them up.  The minerals that are leached from the pores are then carried away by the rain and run down the glass.  Once there they are deposited on the windows when the sun comes out and dries the rain.  These mineral deposits or hard water spots will now lock into the glass pores.  Next the window cleaner comes along to clean the windows.  But cannot remove the spots.  The windows have been severely stained and are in need of restoration.

But here's the point.  Restoring the windows to full clarity is NOT the most important matter. Stopping the concrete from leaching minerals with a good quality sealer IS.  Why?   Because if these panels are not properly protected with a sealer they will ultimately need to be replaced.  When I was working with the company that hired me I was told about another building on the other side of town that was currently having their concrete panels replaced because the building was crumbling!  If your high rise window cleaning company is going to price the glass restoration, you should also price the sealing of the concrete or brickwork.  Which should also help to prevent the hard water spots from coming back.  It could also represent another twenty thousand bucks in your pocket. Another reason why the window cleaner should also seal the concrete is he will make sure the sealant doesn't run down over the glass.  Further, cleaning the windows every six months will tell how well the sealant is working.

I will never forget looking at a problem job for a window cleaner out west.  The windows were covered with concrete sealant.  The building owner couldn't understand the difficulty since he could scrape off some of the sealant with his fingernail. To which my friend replied, "Well then use your fingernail on the entire building"!  Obviously this is a rather large problem if you don't have a liquid chem that will dissolve the sealant and wash it away.  Kind of like when someone opens a can of Pepsi on a window.  A good cleaner and strip washer is usually all you need.  But concrete sealant is much more difficult to remove.  Here is the reason.  First let me copy some technical information regarding the chemistry of concrete sealers from the Wikipedia.

"Topical Sealers: Topical Sealers can provide visual enhancement as well as topical protection from stains and chemicals. They require a dry, clean surface during application to gain adhesion. Topical sealers may alter the coefficient of friction which can make substrates slick when wet – a condition that can be remedied by adding anti-skid materials. Life span is generally 1-5 years, although high-end epoxy/urethane systems can last significantly longer.

Penetrating Sealers: Penetrating sealers can be applied to dry or damp surfaces and should be properly matched with substrate porosity in order to effectively penetrate the surface and react. The chemical reaction bonds active ingredients within the substrate blocking surface moisture. Penetrating sealers generally do not significantly modify substrate appearance or traction. Lifespan is generally 5 years or more.

Acrylic Resins: Acrylic resins form a topical film membrane on the substrate surface. They are available in both water-based and solvent-based formulas, affordable, and generally simple to apply. They are well known to increase perceived visual enhancement (sometimes described as a “wet look”) and can provide good UV protection for colored substrates. Despite being the softest and least lasting of the major sealer categories, price and convenience make acrylic resins a very popular choice for decorative concrete such as stamped concrete and exposed aggregate. Acrylic resins are also commonly used as curing agents for new concrete, and many comply with ASTM C309.

Epoxy/Urethane Systems: Epoxy/urethane systems are also topical film membranes. They share many of the same characteristics as acrylics, but the performance levels and life span are superior and commensurately more costly with more complex installation requirements. Novolac epoxies are particularly noted for chemical resistance and acid resistance. High-end urethanes are known to be extremely abrasion resistant. Epoxy/urethane systems are frequently used in demanding applications such as factory floors, garage floors, and restaurants, and water-based versions are often used to seal concrete countertops. Epoxy/urethane systems are generally applied only to fully cured existing concrete, although certain epoxy products can comply with ASTM C309.

Silane: Silane is the smallest molecular compound of commonly available penetrating sealers. Chemically, Silane forms a covalent bond within porous masonry that clots surface pores. Silane is known to be hydrophobic and oleophobic and will only wear away if the concrete surface itself wears away. Noted for very low viscosity, silane is frequently used for sealing dense concrete, such as parking decks, concrete facades, and dense brick. Silane is generally applied only to fully cured existing concrete.

Silicates: Silicates are another small molecular compound ranging from premium lithium silicates to economical sodium silicates. Chemically, silicates form calcium-silicate hydrate crystals which can densify concrete surfaces and be burnished to develop a polished appearance. Silicates are known to be hydrophobic and oleophobic and will only wear away if the concrete surface itself wears away. Noted for crystallization, silicates are frequently used for polishing concrete floors popular in large format retail outlets. Silicates can be applied to new and existing concrete, although they do not comply with ASTM C309 as a curing agent.

Siliconates: Siliconates are moderate-size molecular compound. Chemically, Siliconates form a repellent cross-linking membrane barrier within the surface of porous concrete and other masonry. Siliconates are known to be hydrophobic and oleophobic and will only wear away if the concrete surface itself wears away. Noted for extreme water repellence and stain repellence siliconates are frequently used for sealing exterior concrete such as roads and driveways, tilt-up walls, porous brick, and porous stone. Siliconates and organo-siliconates have also been shown to be affective as curing agents for new concrete and certain products can comply with ASTM C309.

Siloxane: Siloxane is the largest molecular compound of commonly available penetrating sealers. Although not highly reactive, chemically siloxane forms a bond within porous masonry that clots surface pores. Siloxane is known to be hydrophobic. Noted for large molecular structure, siloxane is frequently used for sealing exterior concrete, porous concrete block and porous brick. Siloxane is generally applied only to fully cured existing concrete.

In summary, all major concrete sealer chemistries can have valuable and practical applications. Topical sealers generally require higher application standards and maintenance, but the decorative appeal and potential stain and chemical resistance can make them a superior choice for many applications. Penetrating sealers should be matched with substrate porosity for long lasting low maintenance water repellence and freeze/thaw protection."

You might have inferred from this information the reason why it is so difficult to remove certain penetrating concrete sealants from glass. The ones I have highlighted in blue.  These go through a curing process.  The polymers will crosslink to one another and the glass.  You see glass has what are called free oxygen atoms at the surface.  These are the atoms that the sealant polymers also react with or bond to.  This is why it is impossible to remove all of the sealant with a razor blade, steel wool, or even very powerful organic solvents.  The only way to completely clear these sealants from windows is to remove a very thin layer of glass with a polishing compound.  The window must be polished with an optical grade superabrasive suspended in the most powerful organic solvent.  The solvent should also be water miscible.  This makes it very easy to remove after soaping and squeegeeing.  You will know you have done the best job possible by fogging the clean window after.  If there is ANY residue left at all, the fog will show it up.  Even if the window appears crystal clear on a bright sunny day it can still be holding onto residue.  This makes for an easy demonstration when soliciting a job.  Just buff out a small spot by hand and fog it with your mouth.

I have created just such a specialty compound for removing concrete sealant rundown from glass .  It is a SKRUB transformer product.  And is described in my one page pdf e-letter Raw Ingredients.  For 35 dollars.  You can buy the ingredients yourself.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Making SKRUB

SKRUB is made from two very simple 'Raw Igredients'.  One is a high tech synthetic silica.  Ultra pure at 99.9%.  It is based on a particle of aproximately 3.6 particle size.  And is "functionalized" so it goes very well into water for easy removal.  The other is a very thick and clear water miscible liquid.  It also loves water but is NOT water.  Completely different chemical formula.  The two are put together slowly at the right temperature.  But once together the silica which has a rather high specific gravity, will not fall out of the carrier liquid.  It remains suspended.

The silica is what does the bulk of the work.  It can be added directly to your bucket of water at one tablespoon to a gallon of cleaner.  Or even added to a soapy solution in an old plastic soda bottle.  Then you just squirt it onto your strip washer when you encounter greasy finger prints.

For a detailed description of SKRUB just email requesting a copy of my letter, "Raw Ingredients".  Then if you want to buy the ingredients in bulk from the factory you can.  But if you want to buy the ingredients in smaller amounts I can help you with that.

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Creating a Slow Release Polishing/Grinding Pad for Stain and Scratch Removal

The very basic idea in making a slow release polishing or grinding pad is to first come up with a plastic powder that dissolves in pure water.  This is your emulsion which can be loaded with whatever superabrasive you choose.  It can be an aluminum oxide, silica, cerium oxide, silicon carbide, or polycrystalline diamond powder.  Locating exacting which one to use is a bit tricky.  First you should heat up the water to about 80 degrees.  Then slowly mix in the plastic powder.  Next allow it about a day or two for the air bubles to clear.  Then slowly mix in whatever superabrasive you want.  Once complete it can be 'painted' onto any flat which will not scratch glass.  This could be a thin piece of hard felt, or paper pulp board, or even a soft wood.  The flat can be glued onto your polishing wheel whether it is aluminum or steel.  I had my Wobble Wheel constructed from a hard aluminum alloy.

As you can see in the video to operate just clean the window, wet again with clean water, polish, then wet with soapy water and squeegee.  That is all that is involved.  Once again there is a tremendous variety of slow release polishing pads that can be created from this concept.  But you will need the raw ingredients such as a source for the best water miscible plastic powder, and the super abrasives whether they be mineral or compositionals.  These are given in my newsletter "Raw Ingredients" at 35 dollars.  It is a one page PDF and can be purchased using Pay Pal.  Sent by email attachment.  This explains in more detail how to build a slow release polishing pad, and includes the source, and pricing for purchasing the raw ingredients in bulk.  If you need to buy much smaller samples I will provide these at a minimum cost of 25 dollars each.  But you will always have the opportunity of purchasing larger quantities at a much reduced price.

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Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

Electroluminescent Paint for Your Vehicle

OK check this out. How would you like to have a bike that had a paint that actually "lit up" when you started the motor?  And not just the bike, but you too.  Your helmet would actually light up!  Well you can have such a thing.  Enter Darkside.  A company that has developed an entire technology around an actual paint that can be "plugged in" to conventional electronics and light up with the flick of a switch. To find a licensed application specialist just call Lumilor. Their website link is http://lumilor.com/  Some of you I know like race cars.  This would be an incredible way to advertise your Window Cleaning business right on your vehicle.  Its all about being noticed my friends.  This IS the way to do it!  Here are a couple of videos that will entertain you.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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We are The Stain Removal Scientists

Marc Tanner told me the other day that, "we are the scientists here"!  I have been writing about looking at the grinding and polishing technology of the optics industry.  My idea was to use this same technology in restoring window glass surfaces. Whether we are removing hard water stains or scratches it should be possible to accomplish this more efficiently by researching a field that has been practicing this for many decades.  But after another forty five minute chat with Marc I realized this is not a perfect plan.  In fact we are going to have to figure it out ourselves. Here is why.

Every glass surface is different.  It is different especially in hardness.  Different in compression strength.  Different in chemistry.  So the tools we use to grind and polish all of these different surfaces must be different also.  Then we have the deposits.  These are also different.  Each has a different chemistry.  The amount of damage each has done to the glass surface is different too.  Some mineral deposits will literally eat deep into the glass.  Some are rather light and just lie on top. Such are easy to remove with a light cerium polish.  But heavier deposits must be first removed with a grinding process.  The product of choice by the gurus within our midst is based on silicon carbide or SiC. Even some of the commercial stain removal systems for sale use this abrasive.  There are however complications to this step.

First the grinding step MUST be done without leaving any "waves" in the surface.  Cuz it doesn't matter whether you are removing scratches or heavy stains, you will need to remove glass.  When you do this wavy glass can result.  Which is very visible from twenty to a hundred feet away.  Next the product used cannot leave swirls of scratches.  I definitely have not given up my idea of using diamonds.  Hey.  I made ten grand one time using diamond compound to remove silicate stains. By hand with Bounty paper towels.  NOT with a machine. Machines tend to leave swirl marks.  Whether the product of choice is diamond or silicon carbide.  SO.  This brings me to the next complication.  When removing heavy stains by a silicon carbide based grinding process we must use a product that will leave the most smooth surface possible.  The reason being is so that the final polishing step using cerium oxide can be accomplished as quickly and efficiently as possible.  

Obtaining a quality surface by grinding is not an easy one. There are so many different silicon carbide based products out there.  The gurus use a coated SiC paper.  Yet finding the correct paper is not easy if not virtually impossible.  Just look at the SiC particle.  There are well over two hundred different polytypes of SiC. These are of several different shapes.  They also have other different properties.  Then there is the resin holding the particles to the paper.  Sometimes the wrong resin will yield completely different results.  Same particle, different coating resin, different results.  If you ask the manufacturer about the chemistry of the resin you will not get a good answer. This is considered an industry secret.  That is how important the resin is.

Polishing glass with cerium oxide is also a rather complicated process.  Even if you are just removing light stains.  Not to mention removing a SiC haze from grinding.  It is first critically important to ensure that the glass is as clean as possible.  No amount of oil should be present.  That is because cerium works by both a physical and a chemical process.  The chemical process uses water.  Oil repels water.  Some other factors to consider are temperature, pH of the solution, and the concentration of cerium oxide in the water.  It is also important to use the correct pad.  Also care should be taken to keep the cerium from building up one the pad otherwise the pad will just skim over the surface and not "cut".  The RPMs of the pad are critical to maintaining good contact and keeping the temperature down to around eighty degrees.  A hand held laser temperature gauge is real handy to constantly monitor the surface.  Here is the video demonstrating my Wobble Wheel and the use of a slow release cerium pad.

Next couple all of this with the talent factor.  I liken this to using a squeegee.  I have trained many people over the last thirty five years.  Most take months to "get it".  But once in awhile someone will just pick it up and go at it.  They have a natural talent.  The same is true for grinding and polishing flat glass surfaces.

When you blend talent and science the result is inexplicable. But that's where it's at.  I completely agree with Marc that we are the scientists here.  So I will continue to focus on the science. As we continue to make advancement you will learn about it here on this blog.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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The Technology of Surface Repair using Superabrasives

The dictionary defines technology as the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area.  That practical application first requires an understanding of the characteristics of the superabrasive particle used.  It also demands an understanding of the characteristics of the surface you are working on.  Not to be left out is an understanding of the properties of the medium that carries the particle.  As well as the material of the pad/interface that works the surface with the superabrasive particles.  So you see, scratch and stain removal is not as simple as most people or manufacturers of stain removal systems/products make it out to be.  It is rather unfortunate that these manufacturers have not taken more time to research the practical application of this knowledge.

As I  discussed in "The Particle Zoo" there are a great number of different particles with a wide array of different properties. But I said nothing about the actual surface that we as Glass Restoration experts are working on.  Neither did I say anything about the carrier for the particle.  Which is just as important or at times even more important than the particle itself.  For example does it really matter which liquid suspension is used for loose particles?  Or what about the physical properties of the resin that holds the particle to the polishing film?  What of the lubricant used for the glass surface?  What of the properties of the pad material used to form the working interface for the compound?  There is so much to consider.

Both scratch and stain removal involves removal of glass. Simply put!  It cannot be done otherwise. If the scratches or stain is light than it is rather easy to remove them using an optical cerium oxide.  Although as I have explained here there is still a technology involved in doing this correctly.  It is also quite easy to damage the glass surface when removing light scratches and stains.  Now if the scratches are deep, or the stain is rather difficult, more glass will need to be removed.  Then the glass will first have to go through a one or two step grinding process.  After this it will have to go through a third step where it will need to be polished to near perfection. The best system will do it quick, not create problems along the way, and finish with the highest quality surface.  If you can stand back twenty feet and see absolutely no abrasion haze or waviness in the direct sun, then you have a perfect repair.  Very bright LED lighting is another powerful test method.

I have recently met people who have developed systems to restore glass surfaces which are better than many commercial products out there.  The technology used is in fact what I call counter-intuitive.  Which quite plainly demonstrates that there is still much more to learn.   This is the focus and gist of my consulting.

Please take a look at my Wobble Wheel video.  This is the first step in stain removal done at a slow pace with a cerium based slow release pad.  This is for a one step only polishing method. If the stains do not come out with this technique then it will be necessary to go to a grinding process.  Much more of the glass surface will need to be removed, and then brought back to optical specs.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Stain Removal Lawsuits

The first lawsuit that can happen is from the use of glass etchants or acids that will directly attack the surface of window glass.  This can show up as various clear distortions of the glass. Or a patchy white cloudiness covering the window.  You will also be able to feel a roughness when an etchant has been used. The new surface is now more likely to attract water vapor and so will tend to fog over in the early morning.  The home owner will notice any of these conditions.  One other condition involves scratch accents.  If a window has been lightly scratched at a prior time, removing the newly formed stains with an acid will also reveal and magnify such scratches fifty times over.  Of course the owner will not understand where they came from and so will blame the Window Cleaner.

Second, using crude abrasives either in a commercial product or from an abrasives supplier.  These can create an abrasion haze which can be easily seen in the direct sun from a distance of a hundred feet or even up close.  Greater depth scratches can be created from the wrong polishing technique or pad.  In an attempt to remove stains quickly very crude or aggressive pads have been used.  These can easily cause serious damage to the surface.

Mild silicate staining can be easily remedied by using a cerium oxide with a flat polishing technique. However very difficult stains must be removed using at least a two step procedure. This requires a great deal of skill and especially the correct pads.  The first step must be performed with something other than a cerium.  But not dry.  Then finished with a cerium wet. Most people would see the pad that was used first as a simple sanding method.  But the fact is that it is way more.  There is a technology here that only a few have guessed at.  And even less understand it.  The reason very obviously is simply that the glass  restoration industry is still very much in its infancy. 

We don't need to do any more damage then what hard water has already accomplished.  And we certainly don't want to incur any lawsuits.  So we should pay more attention to advancing the technology of engineering precision surfaces.  By means of various polishing procedures using slow release pads, coated superabrasive films, and various high tech lubricants to flush the surface of any glass dust that might agglomerate creating errant scratches.  Such lubricants also keep the working surface cool to the touch.  

This is not just my opinion.  It is the essence of the polishing technology used by the optics industry for creating lenses, mirrors, and fiber optics.  And has been for many years.  We are merely following in that wake.

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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Collaborating with Marc Tanner

Those of you who know Marc are already familiar with his genius.  I don't have to say anything to you.  This post is for those in our company who haven't heard of him yet.  But you will!  If I have anything to do with it.
I met him over Facebook.  It was mentioned in a thread on one of the Window Cleaning Groups that I meet him.  I ended up meeting him on a Facebook chat.  Which resulted in one of the most interesting experiences I have ever had.  Since then we have had two very long phone conversations about the technology of stain removal.  The details of which will be kept very secret until sometime in the near future.  If you know me you know how difficult this is going to be.  I love show and tell. But please believe me it is to everyone's benefit.
There are very great things coming down the tube.  We are both in collaboration with someone else.  And;...we are pulling in other players that no one in the window cleaning industry knows about.  Despite some pretty innovative products and systems the technology of glass restoration is still in its infancy. Marc and I together are going to take it to the next level.  But we are not going to stop there.  Because we will never be satisfied with any product or system.  We will continue to advance.

I cannot begin to tell everyone how ecstatic I am to have met Marc.  This is going to be a very enjoyable journey.  

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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The Future of Stain Removal

The key to winning a 50,000 dollar stain removal contract lies in being able to guarantee the results for at least five years or more!  And the only way this can be done is to apply a glass sealant (after removing the stains) that is very resistant to alkali attack.  Then you must also have the means to very quickly remove any newly formed hard water spots as you routinely clean the windows. But without removing or damaging the sealant.  Even replenishing the sealant as you clean.  So that your routine cleaning becomes a three step stain removal, replenishing, and cleaning procedure.  All performed simultaneously.  This must be done as close to the original routine cleaning price as possible.  But the most important consideration is that you will have the everlasting solution to the problem.  This will help to ensure that you keep the contract.

The first step requires locating an alkali resistant sealant.  You can chose a hydrophobic or hydrophylic treatment.  The very nature of hydrophobic sealants presents a problem in that they create water drops.  Drops leave spots.  Which are concentrated mineral deposits.  As each new drop forms on top of old spots, the pH of the evaporating drop continues to increase with each rain or sprinkler cycle.  Ultimately as the spots age they can potentially eat into the sealant and lock onto the silicon dioxide surface.  Logically then the better choice would be a hydrophylic sealant.  Or at least one with a much lower contact angle such that rain will sheet off instead of forming tight drops.  It would be best too if such a hydrophylic coating/sealant were also very resistant to alkali attack.

Removing newly formed mineral deposits from such a surface without doing damage to that surface is possible using a compositional scrub.  That is abrasives that are soft enough to not remove the hydrophylic coating but aggresive enough to remove any mineral deposits which have formed on top of that coating.  I discovered very early on that it is possible to use four zero steel wool to remove newly formed aluminum screen burn on a Rain X surface without doing harm to this hydrophobic sealant.  In fact as you start to scrub your cleaning water will begin to bead as you break through the new stains. Revealing the hydrophobic polymer underneath those stains.  Which has not been damaged by time or your scrubbing technique.

It should be possible to periodically restore, treat, and clean by applying the fluid/chemical with a compositional scrub based applicator. Then wipe dry using a squeegee.  Periodically you can check the surface by hitting it with a small stream of pure water.  It should sheet off leaving very clean glass. Good for a Water Fed Pole maintenance. 

At the time of this writing most of this information is quite theoretical, experimental, and controversial.  But it seams to me to be the most logical course to take to solve stained window problems.  I am in discussion with various companies and chemists that specialize in this technology.  So we will see what the Future holds.  This is one for you Perry!

Written by Henry Grover Jr.
henrygroverjr@gmail.com

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